GALLIPOLI STRUGGLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9095, 14 July 1915, Page 7

GALLIPOLI STRUGGLE

HEAVIEST FIGHTING SINGE THE ALLIES LANDED By 'felegrapa—Press Association —Copyngnt. (received July 14, 0.30 a.m.) , LONDON, July 13. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Lemnos reporting on Juiy the eleventh, scutes that the heaviest fighting since tne Ames landed began late and in darkness on Tuesday, and lasted well into W ednesday. It resulted in tho swing forward of the southern line live furlongs, and staggering losses to tho enemy. It is estimated that seven thousand were killed auu httcen thousand wounded. . The Australians arid New Zealanders also played a part in the victory, which marks a definite stage in the initial worK of encircling Achi Baba, which is now ono of the strongest fortresses in the world T’or some little time the Turks abandoned the offensive- They resumed it under somewhat remarkable circumstances- " . Towards the end of the first week in July a lucky shell ivom a Turkish battery blew up a small French ammunition depot. About the same time the Carthago was torpedoed in sight of the enemies’ lines. TURKS DEPART FROM WAITING POLICY These incidents, combined with glowing accounts ot ueruiau victories elsewhere, pus iresii nears into tne Tunis, and impeded them to depart from their more discreet waiting pouoy. Tne ract tnat tne nines entire line was resting in comparative tranquility inspired tne Turks with tne idea that the Allies were short of ammunitionThey, therefore, proceeded to drive them into the sea. A destroyer's searcnlignt detected heavy masses ot enemy troops moving from beyond Achi Baba towards the Turkish fines with the object ot attacking the French. i. _ ' The latter were warned, and their artillery was quickly reinforced until there was a perfect wall of heavy and light guns placed in position. The British Territorials, Indians and Naval men were also alert in the event of an attack being directed against them. TREMENDOUS BURST OF TURKISH SHELLS An interval ot oppressive silence was suddenly broken by a tremendous burst of Turkish sheds and shrapnel on the Frencn trout, accompanied from tho Straits by the guns of tlie Uoebeu, which pounded our right with eleveninch' shells. Many did not burst. They were apparently ot Turkish manufacture. ' , ite hail of shells lasted for an hour. Then, a great solid mass of lurks leapt to the attack. On they came, and the silence was unbroken save by their shouts until they had reached within sixty yards. Then, well-placed machine guns poured devastation', and twenty-thousand rifles also spoke. The big guns flared and lighted the lurid scene at intervals. THE FINE BRAVERY OF THE TURKS With fine bravery the TurSa came on, not hesitating in this inferno of death. In a terribly cut up condition they reached the entanglements only to find that their artillery had not demolished the wire. ■ The slaughter hero was terrible. Yet, at three points the enemy managed to invade the French trenches, and even succeeded in turning some of _ the French weapons on the defenders; but the second French lino hurled itself instantly on the foe. . “We were so closely mixed up,” said a French soldier, “that it was almost impossible to use the bayonet. We had to clear tne way simply by pushing the Turks back into the trenches, where we fell upon them, running our bayonets into their solid mass.” MAXIMS POUR STREAKS OF DEATH “We irusned forward, and the Turks, wno were badly supported, fled into their struggling masses. Our Maxims poured streaks ox death, mowing the Turks down in heaps. ■ " . “Meanwhile, tne Naval men sustained portion of the attack, and turned their machine guns on the wreck of the attackers, the ships’ searchlights illuminating the ghastly scene, providing a ghostly target for our deadly guns and rifles. . . “Tho field soon' presented an appalling spectacle. Soldiers who had fought in the fiercest fights iu.France and Flanders were sickened at the awful sight which the twilight presented. The bodies were lying four and five deep in all positions. The men were mixed up in the entanglements, while many stood erect, propped up against their massed and stricken comrades. YELLS AND GrtUANS OF BATTERED RABBLE •'Farther and farther, amid yells and groans, the battered'rabble retreated followed by relentless death. The sight was so terrible that many of our men could not fire, so much did the horrible vision of slaughter make the men “At last a poor remnant of the Turks reached the shelter of the trenches on the slopes of Achi Baba. Throughout the morning our warships harried the Turkish positions. . ~ . “The Australians and Now Zealanders in the San Bair region threw out a wedge of attack as though to threaten the Turkish communications. This alarmed the enemy, who began to withdraw. “Meanwhile, tho headquarters of tho enemy, was attacked by aeroplanes dropping a score ot bombs. A RUSH ACROSS THE DEATH-STREWN AREA “After a bout with the artillery, our counter-attack was launched. We rushed across tho death-strewn area with difficulty, tho ground was so thickly covered with bodies. Our bombardment in many places obliterated the entrenchments. The melinite shells were terribly effective. , “Wo easily carried tho first trenches. Then our second line put the Turks to headlong flight. . _ . , ~ “The enemies’ guns were active. They threw seven thousand shells m two hours. The Turks hurled themselves seven times on our new lines, and wore driven off with heavy losses. . ~, ... , “The British left swung smartly forward and threw the demoralised enemy out of two additional lines. Our losses were comparatively light.” ALLIES ADVANCE SLIGHTLY AFTER SEVERE BATTLE , ‘ MITYLENE, July 12. After another severe battle, the Allies’ right wing advanced two hundred yards. , TURKS DESIRE PEACE: DELEGATES EN ROUTE TO SWITZERLAND “Times” and Sydney “Sun" Service*. , - LONDON. July 12. ' An Athens message states that Turkey is attempting to arrange peace with the Allies, and that two Turkish delegates are en route to Switzerland. Turkish deserters who have arrived at Sofia state that the army desires peace. The feeling is that the situation is hopeless. ITALIAN ACTION ONLY POSTPONED "Times” and Sydney “Sun” Service-. LONDON. July 12. M. Hanoiaux, os-Freneh Foreign Minister, writing in the “Figaro,” declares that Italian participation in the Dardanelles operations has simply been postponed. Italian troons are concentrated at Taranto and Brindisi. Turkey’s attitude towards Libva. and the occupation of Rhodes and the Dodecanese Islands are supplying Italy with a motive for a rupture with Turkey.